


Spun Onto You

by camichats



Category: Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, College, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Spin the Bottle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 16:11:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18055772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: Tony thought they only played spin the bottle in high school movies, but he's willing to let that go when Rhodey spins it right at him and he thinks that he's finally going to get to kiss him.





	Spun Onto You

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for kink bingo: Playing Spin the Bottle

Tony had felt that this party was too childish for him when they showed up, and while he technically still felt that way hours later, he wouldn't admit to it unless he felt it was absolutely necessary. Maybe it was the lack of hard drugs and people leering at him that made it feel like it was a high school party-- or how he'd seen high school parties shown in movies as he'd been far too young to be invited to any of those while actually attending high school-- but the lack of those things meant that he was enjoying himself. But there were expectations and pressures and Tony wouldn't be able to admit that he was having fun without someone calling him a pussy for it later, so he kept his mouth shut and continued talking to Bruce about science: both because it was interesting and so that he would have a good excuse for why he was sticking around if someone asked.

Even though he was having fun, the high school party vibe increased when a large group formed a circle in the living room and started playing spin the bottle. Tony groaned. "I thought they only played this in movies," he grouched to Bruce as he turned to him, realizing too late that Bruce was looking in on the game with interest.

Bruce blushed and jerked his eyes away with a cough, fiddling with the bottleneck of his root beer. "Yeah. Lame right?"

"I didn't say it was lame," Tony denied even though it had been exactly what he was thinking, "I just didn't know that anyone played it." When Bruce continued to look unconvinced, Tony threw back the rest of his drink. "C'mon, let's see if they'll take two more players." With a wink, he looped his arm through Bruce's and pulled him along.

No one had a problem with them joining of course, and it was decidedly less sexual a game than Tony had been imagining/tv had led him to believe. People were kissing, making out occasionally, but just having fun with it. There was only tension between a few pairs, and that was very obviously sexual tension and not jealousy or judgement so it was fine. Tony took a seat next to Rhodey, bumping shoulders with a wide grin as he sat. If he wanted to get a kiss from him out of this, he'd have better odds sitting pretty much anywhere else, but he wasn't going to risk freaking Rhodey out for the sake of a game, not to mention that it would have been suspicious if he sat anywhere else, what with Bruce being on the other side of him and all. Tony was officially a 'social butterfly', but that was because people flocked to him instead of any skill or charisma on his end.

Rhodey did the best friend thing, and Tony did it back. Cheering when they got a kiss, taunting good-naturedly, and stealing drinks from his water bottle (at least Tony was doing that to Rhodey, the reverse could not be said). So everything was good, and they both cheered from their spot in the circle when Bruce and Betty got to kiss, and instead of moving back to her space she opted to sit next to Bruce. That was around the time that it was James's turn after a kiss from Harold, and he spun the bottle only for it to land on Tony.

Tony's heart beat loudly in his chest and he tried not to look too eager. It wouldn't make a difference for tonight, but Rhodey would remember it tomorrow, and Tony wanted to avoid that mess for as long as he could thank you very much. He turned to James, anticipating, but Rhodey leaned in quick as a hummingbird and pecked his cheek. "Aw c'mon Rhodes, you call that a kiss?" Tony teased, hand holding on the end of his shirt to help him pull Rhodey in a second when he went for a real kiss, but that never happened.

He chuckled, shaking his head dismissively. "Spin the bottle Tones."

Tony's smile froze on his face, and his hand slackened as his heart swooped unpleasantly. James wasn't going to kiss him. Not even within the low commitment aura of this game. It kind of felt like his soul was being crushed under a boot, and he wasn't a fan. He started to detach, but he didn't think anyone else noticed. He bowed out of the game a little while later, and Rhodey didn't give him more than a glance. Tony had the sudden, destructive urge to grab a bottle of vodka and see how much he could stomach, but for once he didn't see alcohol as a solution to the problem.

He'd been having up to now, and like hell he was going to let James and his cheek kiss ruin that. So he chatted with the people that weren't playing the game and tried to forget about what was going on. It didn't help though, that they were in a house that, while roomy for the students sharing it, was small with the people packed into it. There wasn't any forgetting what was happening because every so often there would be a strange pairing or someone would put a lot more effort into the kiss than was necessary and all of a sudden they were about to get it on in front of god and everyone. Well not god because he was probably sleeping at this time of night, but everyone at the party sure as hell would have seen it if clothes got stripped off. As it was, they all very clearly saw Jake Green's hand vanish under Missy's blouse.

After that particular incident, which led to the pair being unceremoniously shoved into an empty room, it was more or less spinning the bottle and then making fun of the person, or complimenting them based on how much the pair liked each other. And _that_ was around the time that James pulled him back into the circle with a grin, much more relaxed than he had been the first time Tony sat next to him in this circle. He even kept an arm around Tony that kept him tucked against his side the entire time. It made his mind turn into a long line of frustrated question marks because _what the fuck_??? Did the phrase 'mixed signals' mean anything to James or was he just this oblivious? Or, Tony thought with his heart dropping to his shoes, was this really how Rhodey thought about him? Some kid brother that was always getting in trouble but he felt some obligation towards so he didn't leave him to his own devices? It didn't quite add up, but Tony was too hurt to think of those instances.

They left the party when it started to wind down, and Tony couldn't even be happy that James automatically pulled them into the same bed instead of them going to their separate rooms because of the way his thoughts were racing. He hoped he would feel better in the morning, but he didn't really. A little maybe? But not enough that he could shrug it off the way he'd been hoping.

Tony tried to get out of bed for some water, but James pulled him tight to his chest with an arm around his waist-- they'd started spooning at some point in the night okay? It wasn't that weird, he was just a cuddler, hence the nickname 'Rhodey bear' despite James's various pleas that Tony drop it and forget about its existence. Tony was annoyed at the moment, so he huffed. "You are the king of mixed signals."

"Hm?" James said, trying to shake himself awake enough to deal with this conversation. The only reason he knew there was a conversation to be had was because Tony was using his irritated voice, and Rhodey knew what happened when he ignored that tone. "Wha's wron'?"

Tony considered-- very seriously and for a long moment-- telling James that if he didn't know, Tony wasn't going to tell him. He didn't want to be that particular kind of asshole though, so he rolled around to face him. "You don't get to kiss me _on the cheek_ and then keep me from getting out of bed like we're a happy couple. If I don't get sleepy kisses or morning sex, you can't keep me here. So?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's it going to be?"

Easy as anything, James leaned forward the handful of inches separating them and kissed Tony. Just like that. Flat on the mouth. Lips on lips. Then leaned back and closed his eyes, snuggling into the pillow.

Tony stared at him, mouth gaping. "Are you kidding me?"

He peeked an eye open. "What?"

"You're going to kiss me and then fall asleep?"

"That was the plan."

Tony opened his mouth to say something else, then paused. Why was he fighting this? James wasn't the sort of person to kiss him just to shut him up, and he was always more honest when tired than fully awake. "Huh."

"What?"

"You actually like me."

"Yeah."

"I mean _really_ like me."

"Yeah," he repeated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Then why didn't you give me a real kiss at the party last night!"

"You're gonna think it's stupid."

"Probably, but are you really going to let that stop you?"

"Yes. Now go to sleep."

"Aww c'mon honey bear tell me!"

"I'm already regretting this," he said, but he tightened his grip on Tony's waist so he knew that he was joking.


End file.
